During endoscopic procedures, the surgeon must frequently irrigate and then suction a region in which he is operating. He is customarily provided with a handpiece that includes two trumpet-type valves, one for the liquid and the other for suction. His task in addition to manipulation of the various optical and surgical appliances associated with an endoscope is to irrigate regions of interest, and to suction out liquids and debris. Anything which can simplify this assortment of tasks is a welcome improvement. Convenience of grasp is a further convenience. If an appliance can only be gripped in one orientation, it is likely that in other alignments it will be inconvenient to manipulate.
Known two-valve arrangements are an example of devices to which improvements would be welcomed. In these devices, two valves are arranged side-by-side, their axes parallel, with a separate valve for each. The surgeon must either switch one finger from one button to the other, remembering which is which, or keep a finger on each, again remembering which is which. There is a single orientation in which the valve can be held much like a musical trumpet. Thus there is a lack of versatility, and a potentially irksome need for excessive memory and manipulation, often in an inconvenient orientation.
It is an object of this invention to provide a three way selector valve which requires only a single actuator button to set the device for no flow into or out of a common port, or flow into or out of it from or to a selected one of two source ports. In one conventional application, the common port will be connected to a conduit in the endoscope for bi-directional flow, one of the source ports will be connected to a source of saline solution for irrigation, and the other will be connected to a suction pump for removal of fluids and debris.
Because of this arrangement, short circuiting between the source ports is impossible, in its active settings and if desired audible, tactile, or visual means can indicate the direction of flow.
The valve body is configured to permit it to be grasped so that an index finger can press the button, rather as a pistol grip in either hand- right or left handed, and also so it can be held in such a way that the thumb can press it down, rather as a hypodermic syringe. This versatility of grip orientation is a significant convenience to the surgeon.